House body OKs anti-dynasty bill

MANILA, Philippines - The House of Representatives committee on suffrage and electoral reforms unanimously approved yesterday the Anti-Political Dynasty Bill, which seeks to ban the relatives of an incumbent official up to the second degree of consanguinity or affinity from running in the same elections.

“Today is a historic moment, if only because for the first time, this was approved at the committee level,” said Bayan Muna party-list Rep. Neri Colmenares, one of the authors of the bill.

The approved measure, a consolidation of three bills, also bans overlap of relatives’ terms in office, and allows the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to hold a raffle to decide who in the clan would be permitted to run in the election in case none of the candidates in the same family refuses to withdraw.

The Constitution bans political dynasties but requires an enabling law to enforce it.

A similar bill was filed in the Senate by Sen. Joseph Victor Ejercito, who has high-profile relatives in government, including his father Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada, half-brother Sen. Jinggoy Estrada and mother San Juan Mayor Guia Gomez.

ACT Teachers party-list Rep. Antonio Tinio, also a co-author of the bill, said the original version was supposed to cover relatives up to the fourth degree of consanguinity but the provision was amended as an expanded coverage would cover too many people.

“The important thing is a lot of reforms have to be set in place and it shouldn’t just be in the budget. It should also include political dynasties. Let’s take a look again. We have been remiss in our obligation to implement this,” Minority Leader and San Juan Rep. Ronaldo Zamora said.